Integration of CE tracking system and state of Florida license renewal.

Here's how it works: The Department of Health has now completely integrated the continuing education tracking system (CE Broker) with the state’s license renewal system.

The Department of Health rule requires the licensed Florida OT or OTA to have all CE requirements completed AND entered into the continuing education tracking system (CE Broker) before the state will approve the license renewal.

The CE Provider is required to transmit the completed CE credits taken by licensees to CE Broker within a month of completion. CE Broker posts the credits to the licensee's transcript. When the transcript is complete, ie., the right number of credits and right course subject matter have been taken, then the licensee can renew their license.

CE for Health Care Professionals-Florida has programmed its website so that once an OT or OTA passes the test to a course, our computer sends the course completion information to CE Broker instantly and automatically.

However, this only happens for OT's and OTA's who provide their FLORIDA OT license number to our company. This is because CE Broker only keeps course credits for Florida health care licensees, not applicants or others or someone licensed in another state or country.

Continuing education includes attendance and participation as required at approved live or interactive presentations such as workshop, seminar, conference, webinar, or in-service educational programs. It may also include participation in other approved professional activities, such as pro bono and expert witness services, or those that require a formal assessment of learning, such as formalized self-study courses and other non-interactive learning programs. An active license shall be renewed upon demonstration that the licensee has paid the renewal fee set forth in Rule 64B11-2.009, F.A.C., and has complied with the following requirements:

(1) As a condition to the renewal of an active license, an occupational therapist must complete twenty-six (26) hours of approved continuing education per biennium.

(2) As a condition to the renewal of an active license, an occupational therapy assistant must complete twenty-six (26) hours of approved continuing education per biennium.

(3) At least fourteen (14) of the required hours per biennium must be in person or from interactive, real-time courses. An interactive, real-time course may be a web-based, satellite transmitted, telephone or video conference, or online instruction program that allows or requires the licensee to interact in real time, including live chat, with the instructor during the presentation of the program.

(4) Home Study – A licensee may receive continuing education credit for no more than twelve (12) hours of home study education per biennium. Home study education is a self-paced, non-interactive independent study that requires a certificate of completion.Taking a computerized exam at the end of the study, or being able to email the instructor with a question, does not qualify home study as a live or interactive course. Consistent with Section 456.013(8), F.S., continuing education credit for video presentations is limited to five (5) credits per subject. At the time of course presentation, rental, or sale, the course vendor, in lieu of the certificate of completion, shall provide the licensee with a signed course validation form. The licensee shall sign this form on the date that the course is actually taken or viewed indicating full attendance and successful completion. It shall be retained by the licensee for four (4) years.

(5) HIV/AIDS – The licensee shall complete one (1) hour of HIV/AIDS education as set forth in Section 456.033, F.S., no later than upon first renewal. HIV/AIDS courses approved by any Board within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance of the Department of Health pursuant to Section 456.033, F.S., are approved by this Board. A licensee is not required to complete an HIV/AIDS course for each subsequent renewal biennium.

(6) Medical Errors – Each licensee shall attend and certify attending a Board-approved 2-hour continuing education course relating to the prevention of medical errors. The 2-hour course shall count toward the total number of continuing education hours required for licensure renewal. The course shall include a study of root-cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety, and must also include contraindications and indications specific to occupational therapy management including medication and side effects.

(7) Laws and Rules – As part of the twenty-six (26) hours of continuing education required herein for licensure renewal, each licensee shall attend a two (2) hour Board approved course on laws and rules covering Chapters 456 and 468, Part III, F.S., and Division 64B11, F.A.C.

(8) (Newly licensed)Exemption – Those persons certified for licensure in the second half of the biennium are exempt from the continuing education requirements for that biennium, except for the two (2) hour prevention of medical errors course requirement referenced above and required by Section 456.013, F.S., and the one (1) hour of HIV/AIDS education required no later than upon first renewal, as set forth in Section 456.033, F.S.

(9) Changes of Status – Active status licensees may apply to the Board for inactive license status at any time by paying a $50.00 fee to change licensure status. Additionally, the licensee shall pay any applicable inactive status renewal fee or delinquent fee.

(10) (Other ways to earn continuing education) Course Presentation and Attendance at Board Meetings – A maximum of eight (8) contact hours may be awarded per biennium for the following professional activities:

(a) The presentation of a continuing education course or program, academic course, peer-reviewed or non peer-reviewed workshop, seminar, in-service, electronic or web-based course that is directly related to the practice of occupational therapy as either the lecturer of the course or program or as the author of the course materials. Each licensee who is participating as either a lecturer or author of a continuing education course or program may receive credit for the portion of the offering he/she presented or authored up to the total hours awarded for the offering.

1. Continuing education credit may be awarded to a lecturer or author for the initial presentation of each course or program only; except in the case of the medical errors and laws and rules courses, repeat presentations of the same continuing education course or program shall not be granted credit. Continuing education credit for presentations of either medical errors or laws and rules courses is limited to four (4) credits per biennium.

2. In order for a continuing education credit to be awarded to each licensee participating as either lecturer or author, the format of the continuing education course or program must conform with all applicable sections of this rule chapter.

3. Documentation shall include a copy of the official program/schedule/syllabus including presentation title, date, hours of presentation, and type of audience or verification of such signed by the sponsor.

4. The number of contact hours to be awarded to each licensee who participates in a continuing education course or program as either a lecturer or author is based on the 50 minute contact hour employed within this rule chapter.

5. Continuing education credit for the development and teaching of postsecondary academic courses shall be one (1) continuing education credit per academic course credit.

(b) Attendance at Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice meetings. Each licensee who attends a Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice meeting where disciplinary cases are being heard, if the licensee is not on the agenda or appearing for another purpose, may receive continuing education credit. Active Board and Probable Cause Panel members who are licensed occupational therapists or occupational therapy assistants are eligible to receive continuing education credits for their service, except that a current Board member may not receive credit for serving as a probable cause panel member. The number of contact hours awarded for such attendance or service is based on the definition of a contact hour as set forth in paragraph 64B11-6.001(5)(d), F.A.C.

(11) Fieldwork Experience – A licensee may earn up to six (6) continuing education hours per biennium for supervision of a Level II Occupational Therapy or Occupational Therapy Assistant fieldwork student at the rate of no more than three (3) hours per student. To be eligible for the credit, the licensee must participate as the primary clinical fieldwork educator for the student. Documentation shall include verification provided by the school to the fieldwork educator with the name of the student, school, and dates of fieldwork or the signature page of the completed student evaluation form. Evaluation scores and comments shall be deleted or blocked out.

(12) Publications – A licensee may earn the following continuing education credit for publication of a peer-reviewed or non peer-reviewed book, chapter, or article directly related to the practice of occupational therapy:

(a) 10 hours as the author of a book;

(b) 5 hours as author of a chapter;

(c) 3 hours as author of a peer-reviewed article;

(d) 1 hour as author of a non peer-reviewed article; and,

(e) 5 hours as an editor of a book; Documentation shall consist of a full reference for the publication including title, author, editor, and date of publication.

(13) Research – A licensee may earn one (1) hour of continuing education credit for each ten (10) hours spent in development of or participation in a research project specific to and directly related to the practice of occupational therapy, up to a limit of five (5) hours of credit per biennium. Documentation shall include verification from the primary investigator indicating the name of the research project, dates of participation, major hypotheses or objectives of the project, and the licensee’s role in the project.

(14) Volunteer Expert Witness – Any volunteer expert witness who is providing expert witness opinions for cases being reviewed pursuant to Chapter 468, Part III, F.S., the Occupational Therapy Practice Act, shall receive three (3) hours of credit for each case reviewed. A volunteer expert witness may not accrue in excess of six (6) credit hours per biennium pursuant to this subsection.

(15) Performance of Pro Bono Services – A licensee may receive up to six (6) hours per biennium of continuing education credit through the performance of pro bono services to the indigent as provided in Section 456.013(9), F.S., or to underserved populations, or in areas of critical need within the state where the licensee practices. In order to receive credit under this rule, licensees must make a written request to the Board and receive approval prior to performing pro bono services in advance. One (1) hour credit shall be given for each two (2) hours worked. In the written request, licensees shall disclose the type, nature and extent of services to be rendered, the facility where the services will be rendered, the number of patients expected to be serviced, and a statement indicating that the patients to be served are indigent. If the licensee intends to provide services in underserved or critical need areas, the written request shall provide a brief explanation as to those facts.